Bob Ladouceur made life-altering impression on his players at De La Salle

CONCORD -- Clearly, De La Salle High football coach Bob Ladouceur made a powerful, life-altering impression on scores of Spartans, but his impact transcended high school sports.

Ladouceur is an iconic sports figure in Northern California, judging by the reaction to his announcement Friday that he was stepping down after 34 glorious seasons as the Spartans' head coach.

"He's one of the all-time great Bay Area coaches, and we've had a lot of good ones," Pro Football Hall of Fame coach John Madden said. "You think of baseball with Tony La Russa. You think of the Bill Walshes, the Don Nelsons, Jim Harbaugh. This guy is right up with them, and you can make the case that of all the coaches in the Bay Area of all time, he's the best."

49ers coach Jim Harbaugh got to see Ladouceur's handiwork when he coached at the University of San Diego from 2004-2006

"I recruited some of his players, mostly when I was at USD but also some at Stanford," Harbaugh said. "I got to know him through Tony (La Russa) who had an event for Bob. He's a great gift of a teacher, a person and a presence. He has a phenomenal record, not just in football but in changing young men's lives."

News of Ladouceur's decision was greeted first with deep breaths by ex-De La Salle players, who shared stories of Ladouceur's emphasis on preparation, commitment and unblinking pursuit of excellence.

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Chris Crespi, the captain of Ladouceur's second team at De La Salle in 1980, considers himself a prime example of players who can't get De La Salle out of their systems after moving on in life.

"I went away and I was on Wall Street for awhile, and now I'm retired and I sit on the finance committee here, and I'll be coaching next year here on the freshman team," Crespi said. "So I went away, but it always kind of pulls you back."

Despite all his wins and titles, Ladouceur's relationships with players and his coaching staff best define his tenure.

He spoke on Friday about how he had no desire to coach in college because he could have a greater impact when athletes are ages 14 to 18 and undergoing incredible changes physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

"I think they need good people around them to help them, to guide them, to be there to listen, to be there to say, 'Look, this isn't a good idea. This is a better idea.'" he said. "They're more willing to listen. They're more willing to change. They're more willing to accept advice. That's what made it all worth it."

The message got through to Patrick Walsh, a former star running back now coaching at Serra-San Mateo.

"Coach Lad is one of the most important people that I've ever come across in my life," Walsh said. "I'm thankful that my mom and dad paid the tuition and sent me to De La Salle and gave me the opportunity to meet a guy like Bob Ladouceur, who's affected my life profoundly."

Former De La Salle star Terron Ward, a sophomore running back at Oregon State, tweeted his thoughts on Ladouceur's decsion to step down: "Congratulations on retirement to the best high school coach to ever do it. Thanks coach for everything you did and taught to the hundreds of Spartans u have coached #greatestCoachever."

Former NFL quarterback Matt Gutierrez echoes the sentiments of many Spartans about the legendary coach.

"Man, it's hard to put it in a few words," said Gutierrez, a 2002 graduate and now a Spartans freshman coach. "Probably the best way I could put it is next to my immediate family he's one of the people that's had the largest impact on my life, how I think about things and how I approach situations."

After never losing a game at De La Salle, Gutierrez moved on to Michigan, Idaho State and the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent.

"His voice has always continued to be in my mind, and I've often reflected back on conversations that I've had with him," Gutierrez said.

Walsh, a 1993 De La Salle graduate who ran for over 2,000 yards his senior season, gushes about Ladouceur. "Outside of my mom, my dad and my faith, just being a spiritual individual and believing in God, he's next," Walsh said.

Marlon Blanton, a 1991 De La Salle graduate and the current Jesuit-Sacramento coach, found his path in Ladouceur's program after a troubled childhood in Pittsburg, when he grew up without parents. Balnton said current Pittsburg coach Victor Galli steered him to the De La Salle program.

"Bob Ladouceur would not let you fail. He would not allow you to underachieve," Blanton said.

Ladouceur said he maintains a close relationship with Blanton.

"Marlon was a kid that didn't have much going for him or much support at home in his background," Ladouceur said. "He was a talented player; he wasn't a great player. My goal for Marlon, he was so poor I thought if we could academically just keep him on track, keep him above the curve he'll get a scholarship somewhere just out of need-based. I was always pushing him in that direction, guiding him in that direction. Loh and behold, he went to Saint Mary's College and he didn't have to pay a dime, and the rest is history for him. I'm real proud of that guy."

Boise State tight end Connor Peters, who started both ways at De La Salle, said Ladouceur never settled for anything less than perfection.

"One thing about him that I really liked is he never really gave a pregame speech," Peters said. "He never gave a speech before to rile us up. He always expected us: If you really want to win, your head should be in the game enough."

Ladouceur said he wanted his players to be completely prepared for Friday's game by Thursday night.

"On Friday I think kids are so nervous," he said. 'They're preparing themselves mentally and physically, and for me to jump in right before the game, 'Alright!' ... I didn't think that really motivates anybody, and so I never really did that. I never gave pregame speeches."

Walsh added, "He built it so well in the offseason that by the time the season came, it was like, "What do you want to do? This isn't my team. This is your team.'" Walsh said. "I think that's a really unique way of coaching. He's just a unique and special and unselfish man. If I had a choice for my son to play for me or coach Lad, I'd choose Coach Lad in a heartbeat. No doubt."